


You're The Shore When I Am Lost At Sea

by perrywings



Series: Tangled Up In You/Last-Ex-Boyfriend AU [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Engagement, Engagement Party, F/F, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Holidays, Kuron & Shiro (Voltron) are Twins, Lance's Birthday, M/M, Music, Social Media, established relationships - Freeform, i only tagged the relationships and characters that appear in this story but there are more, keith's birthday, minor cussing, none of the romantic relationships are new, shiro is very proud, the paladins are members of a band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-10-07
Packaged: 2020-11-27 02:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20941097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perrywings/pseuds/perrywings
Summary: You'll probably want to read the earlier works first, it'll make more sense.Keith, Lance, Shiro, Allura, Hunk, and Pidge are all members of a band, Paladins. Coran is the band's manager. Shiro used to be the frontman of the band, but after he got married to a guy from another band, he joined that band too and gave the reins of the Paladins to Keith. Keith didn't want to be the sole leader, and so Keith and Lance are both frontmen of the Paladins. Keith and Lance both sing and play the guitar. Shiro is the drummer. Hunk plays bass. Pidge uses DJ equipment and synthesizers. Allura used to manage with Coran but became a band member and plays the keyboard.Lance and Keith are happily engaged, however they soon find themselves under a lot of pressure from family, friends and the media because of the wedding, so they decide to have an engagement party.





	You're The Shore When I Am Lost At Sea

**Author's Note:**

> This took longer to write than I thought. I honestly thought I was going to get this out earlier, but moving and starting grad school took a lot of my energy and focus. Sorry if it's not as good as the previous iterations of this series, I was getting impatient and frustrated by the end. Please enjoy!

Even though they weren't doing much of anything, weeks and months flew by after the interview on The Evening Show With Luxia Queen. That interview was only the first of many after the engagement, but honestly, they were all so similar they blended together for Keith. Of course, they practiced their instruments and did all their band things and kept up with their social media and their celebrity appearances, but for the most part, their time was their own.

As much as Keith loved touring, he also loved not touring. For instance, he could wake up at whatever time he wanted, usually either with Lance in his arms or being in Lance's arms. Often he got up at 5 or 6 in the morning to go on a morning run and get some exercise in. Other times, he could stay asleep to 8 or 9 and enjoy warm sleepy morning cuddles with Lance. Sometimes, those cuddles got heated and they wouldn't get out of bed until 10 or 11 or 12, when the protesting of their cats Blue and Red would finally get to be too much, or it was time to hit the shower because they had things to do. On rare occasions, they never even really had to get up at all, and those days were spent in comfy clothes in bed or on the couch or on the balcony. Typically, Keith made breakfast for the humans and the cats while Lance cleaned the litter box in the morning. Keith had a lot of practice making breakfast, as he often made it for himself and his father after Dad's long nights as a fireman. They would spend their mornings doing whatever, and usually took care of themselves for lunch. After lunch, most of the time they would head down to the rehearsal space to practice, jam for fun, and bounce song ideas off each other. Sometimes they had a nap crashed out on the sofas in the rehearsal space. Dinner was usually either made by Lance or was a team affair, although at least once a week they had dinner with Lance's parents or his whole family or Keith's mom or Shiro and Curtis or Keith's mom, Shiro, and Curtis. Once a month, they also had dinner with Hunk and Shay, and with the Holts, and with Allura and Coran. A few times, the whole band was at the rehearsal space, and they just ordered takeout. Keith and Lance usually spent their evenings watching their shows, and then as Lance did his nightly routine, Keith did the litterbox and any leftover night chores. Unless, of course, they were distracted by other activities.

Despite being ridiculously, hopelessly, head over heels in love, Keith and Lance barely talked about their wedding. Or maybe it was because of how in love they were. Keith and Lance honestly just wanted to enjoy their engagement period. When he was in the mood for it, Keith loved showing off his ring to just about anyone who wanted to see it. Of course, the conversation that followed usually ended up being about the marriage. The only thing they had intended to discuss early was to pick a date, so they could agree on how long they'd be engaged. But they realized their date would depend on the availability of their location, so they talked about the location. It was a difficult decision to make. They wanted somewhere significant to them, but also affordable, and big enough for a large group, and not too public so the media couldn't stalk the wedding easily, but also not so hard to find it would inconvenience their guests. Naturally, this was difficult. 

But then, Lance suggested Cuba. The family farm his Abuelito and Abuelita owned and his aunts and uncles ran extended all the way to the sea, and therefore there was a section of beach on their property. They could get married at the beach, and have the reception somewhere else on the farm. There were a few hotels near the farm and more in the city where people could stay. Keith loved the idea. They video-called Abuelito and Abuelita to ask permission, and they were a little nervous about it, but Abuelito and Abuelita were absolutely charmed and told Keith and Lance they'd be honored to host the wedding. So, they decided to have a May wedding in Cuba, and seeing as it was still about a year out, Keith and Lance decided they could do the rest of the planning after the new year.

However, as they would come to find out, this plan didn’t sit well with other people.

As time went on, more and more people began asking questions about the wedding, even just casual random questions. There was at least one question about it in every interview and AMA either of them did, and especially if they were together, especially if it was just the two of them. They answered with as much grace and vagueness as they could, but it wore thin on them. And every time they went to have dinner with Lance’s family, Lance’s Mamá or Veronica were likely to bring it up.

Things first came to a head on Lance’s birthday.

July 28th started out great.

Keith and Lance spent the morning in bed, celebrating Lance, eventually taking the celebration to the shower as well. After, they got Lance’s free birthday coffee from Starbucks and brought takeout from one of his favorite restaurants back to the apartment for lunch (they took two selfies at the Starbucks and uploaded them to social media. One had Lance showing off the “Happy Birthday Lance!” written on the cup of his birthday drink and Keith giving Lance bunny ears, with some amused and excited baristas posing behind them. The second was clearly taken straight after, Lance’s face the same excitement morphing into surprise, as Keith had turned to kiss Lance’s cheek, and the same baristas behind them were now cooing).

After lunch, Keith looked over Lance’s shoulder as he checked his social media to see all the notifications for the birthday wishes and appreciation posts that no doubt were popping up on all the platforms.

And there were many:

_ @prettypaladin: OMG it’s Lance McClain’s birthday he is literally the best Paladin! _

_ @knightinshiningleatherjacket: Happy Birthday @LancelotMcClain! You and the Paladins are one of the reasons I’m still alive and I’m so thankful for your music! _

_ @givelancealance: YO BIPHOBES AND HOMOPHOBES LANCE CAN DATE MEN AND WOMEN (LIKE HUNK AND ALLURA) AND STILL GET MARRIED TO A MAN (KEITH) AND STILL BE BI BECAUSE LANCE IDENTIFIES AS BI AND YOUR DISAPPROVAL OF BISEXUALITY DOESN’T MAKE IT UNTRUE _

There were also posts from other bands, bands they knew and bands they wished they knew, as well as other celebrities and people Lance knew.

And then there were their friends’ posts.

_ @TheIncredibleHunk: @LancelotMcClain Lance, today is your 25th birthday, which means we've been best friends for 20 years, since the first day of kindergarten. 20 years is a long time and we've been together through it all. We grew up together and went through a lot together, and we supported each other and helped each other become the best we can be. Look at you now - you're a fantastic friend, son, brother, and uncle, you're a famous rock star and one of the best guitarists I know, and a wonderful human being. And you have a fiancé. Can't forget about that. 10 years ago, if someone had told 15-year-old me that you would choose to settle down with one person and that person agreed to marry you, let alone that that person was Keith, I would have laughed until I cried. However, that would have been a mistake by 15-year-old me. Because you love Keith so genuinely and wholeheartedly, and he only ever has eyes for you, and you are going to make an amazing husband and whatever else is to come for you and Keith in the future. And I wish 15-year-old you could have known at least a little bit what was in store for you, because you would have been amazed. You're the best friend a guy can have, so you better not forget me once you're married, because I plan to be your best friend even when we're no longer alive. Happy Birthday, Lance! _

_ @pidgeon: @LancelotMcClain Lance, Happy Birthday, you meme! When we first met, I’d gotten stuck with you and Hunk on a group project because I was the new transfer student and everyone else was in a group of three, and I wasn’t really sure I liked you because you kept trying to figure me out and go do things instead of focusing on the project (Hunk too, but it was mostly you). Then we started the Paladins and became close and now I know you were just trying to be my friend. And it worked eventually, because now you’re one of my dearest friends and brother figures. I don’t know what I’d do without my video game buddy and my prank/mischief partner in crime! Happy Birthday Lance, hope it’s amazing! _

_ @shirothehero: @LancelotMcClain Happy Birthday, Lance! As the eldest in our band, I have had the distinct pleasure of watching you all grow up and grow into yourselves, and Lance, your transformation has been one of the best. When we first met, Pidge thought you were the classic class clown, and Keith couldn’t figure out why you kept calling him out, but when we first met I instantly knew three things: 1 - there was a lot more to you than how you presented, 2 - you were a lot like me at that age, and 3 - you had a fucking ginormous crush on my little brother. I knew from that moment you were going to make something of yourself, and I was right, in all accounts. You went from a lanky gangly teen with a ton of raw talent that you were still trying to figure out how to apply to a tall lithe heartthrob that was an accomplished singer and guitarist in his own right. And it wasn’t an overnight change, I know you had a lot of struggles, but you put a lot of work in to combat those struggles and become a better person - just like I had too, just like all the best of us do. If there is one thing I was wrong about, it was that even as you blossomed, I wasn’t certain you were the right one for Keith, and I admit, I was a little worried you would only hurt each other in the end. But by the time you got together, I needn’t have feared, and I was wrong to do so. You and Keith both made great personal strides in order to be healthier selves in order to be good for each other, and you two are so wonderful for each other. You are one of my best friends, and you have become as much my younger sibling as Keith has, you and all of my fellow Paladins, and I am so proud of you. Happy birthday, little bro - or should I say, future-brother-in-law? ;) _

_ @allure: I want to wish a very happy birthday to my bandmate, friend, and brother, @LancelotMcClain. Lance, when we first met, you were an incorrigible flirt, and I wasn’t sure this agency internship was going to be all that I hoped it would. But it was, and I found out there was so much more to you than met the eye. I can never thank you enough for always endeavoring to make me feel welcome in the band’s spaces and a part of the team, even when I wasn’t a Paladin yet. And you were my biggest supporter from the moment I joined that Paladins. Our friendship is very dear to me, and you are an amazing person, inside and out. You have earned all the success and accolades you have achieved, and to see you happily enjoying life and to see you and Keith being so sweetly and deeply in love is so pure and precious! Happy 25th Birthday Lance, and may you have many more to come! _

Then there was what Keith wrote, noticeably later than the others:

_ @keithykogane: @LancelotMcClain Lance - my friend, my bandmate, my fiancé, my life, my love, my everything - happy birthday. I don’t think there will ever come a July 28th that I am not grateful you were born. Or any other day, really. You are easily one of the best parts of my life, if not the best. No one I’ve ever been with has loved me and made me feel as loved as you do. You have turned out to be so much more than the dork that I thought you were when we first met, and I am so glad I gave you a chance, first to become my friend and then to become my person. You have made me a better human being, and the things we have done together astound me in so many ways. Lance, you are funny, kind, supportive, brave, smart, creative, loyal, thoughtful, compassionate, fun, optimistic, considerate, noble, hardworking, talented, charming, cocky, vibrant, patient, wise, hopeful, strong, sweet, honest, a great listener, and even more things that I could say but it would take a lifetime to list them. I am so lucky and blessed to have a love like ours - it’s a miracle I wasn’t sure I would ever have the good fortune to have. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without you. We make a great team ;). I’m not sure if I can give any gift that can top agreeing to be your husband, but I’m excited to find out. I will always love you, and I’m so thrilled to know that we’ll be spending your next birthday and all the birthdays after that as husbands. Lance, I love you more than the words in English or any other language can possibly express. i love you. te amo. ai shiteru. osera ta. P.S. - to those of you making all the passive-aggressive or just plain aggressive comments about where my social media post(s) for Lance is/was, not that it's any of your business, but I don't have the multitasking capacity to write a social media love letter to my soulmate at the same time as blowing said soulmate's brains out and then letting him have his way with me (and I hope I never become a terrible enough person to have that capacity). _

Lance laughed after reading Keith’s post, even though there were tears in his eyes. “I can’t believe you wrote that!”

“You know how judgmental your stans can get,” said Keith.

“God, I love you,” said Lance, leaning in to kiss Keith.

They had a casual afternoon, playing with Blue and Red and watching movies and lazily making out, and that evening, they got ready to go out and headed over to Lance’s parents’ house for a small birthday party for Lance, just his family and friends. Well, it was small for Lance - in Keith’s opinion, there was a fair amount of people at this party, but he also didn’t have extended family like Lance did.

“Happy Birthday, Lance!” everyone yelled when they walked into the McClain house.

Soon after they arrived, they sat down to dinner, which included all of Lance’s favorites. Cake came after, and it was after when Lance and Keith were helping with the dishes, that Mrs. McClain brought it up. (Honestly, the fact that she let Lance and Keith help with dishes on Lance’s birthday should have been a big indicator that she had been looking for an opportunity to talk to them.)

“Let’s talk about your wedding!”

“What about our wedding?”

“What about your wedding? It’s coming! What plans have you made? Tell me you’ve at least started planning!”

Lance shook his head. “Not really, Mamá.”

“Neither of us feel any need to rush into marriage,” said Keith carefully.

Lance grabbed Keith’s hand as both a show of solidarity and affection and also to ease Keith. “We want to take our time with this. I want to take my time with him. We can still get married in a year or two, there’s no window for our marriage.”

Mrs. McClain looked surprised. “But this is really important! A wedding is a responsibility! Have you decided anything at all?”

“We want a May wedding and Abuelito and Abuelita said we could host the ceremony on the beach area of their property, and the reception somewhere else on the farm. That’s it really,” said Lance, shrugging.

"You haven't even chosen your wedding party members?!"

Keith looked at Lance. "I get Atlas and Acxa, you get the rest of Paladins and your siblings?"

"Deal," said Lance. He glanced at his mother. "See, we've decided."

Lance’s mother scowled, and Keith and Lance made their escape to play games with their friends and Lance’s siblings and niece and nephew.

However, from that moment on, they were dragged into planning sessions for the wedding. 

And as they found out, planning and putting together a wedding was so much harder than planning and putting together one of Paladins’ albums. And an album wasn’t easy to put together. They had to agree on a number of songs to put out, and then they had to actually agree on the lyrics, titles, and music of the songs they wanted to make, and then everyone had to actually practice the songs so everyone knew their parts, and then those parts had to get recorded, and then they had to choose all the small details like the order of the songs on the album and what the album cover looked like. And all those decisions were hard to make when you had six people in the group with six different opinions on how things should be. This wasn’t even factoring in the opinions and contributions of Coran, the label, and the Paladins’ support staff (the lawyers, the social media team, etc.).

Keith and Lance had thought it would be a lot simpler, as it had been their perception that their two opinions were the only ones that mattered. However, they quickly found out that other people didn’t share this perception. Many of Lance’s family members constantly asked how they were progressing on wedding panning or tried to suggest or out-right make wedding decisions for them. Keith’s family wasn’t as bad, but even Krolia had a few thoughts (she, at least, backed off whenever she was asked to, though). They were constantly fielding questions and suggestions from everyone and everywhere in the media - journalists, critics, talk show hosts, bloggers, social media influencers, YouTubers, AMAs, commentators, and general social media posts. They even got harassed a little by the label and the social media team, as they saw the wedding as an opportunity to promote the band. Luckily, Coran at least shut that right down and used the legal team to back him up.

It got to Keith a lot more than Lance. Lance was used to family sticking their noses in each others’ business, but Keith had been an only child before his father’s death, and then had spent his time in the foster system either ignored, neglected, and abused, and when he ended up with the Shirogane family, they operated lovingly but formally, and there was a certain amount of distance and a healthy amount of privacy afforded to the three sons. His life experiences, combined with Keith’s own introversion and social anxiety, led him to feel pressured and alienated, much more than Lance.

“There are too many cooks in this damn kitchen,” said Keith one night after a double date with Veronica and Acxa where they were just supposed to be having fun became about the wedding.

“I know, Starlight,” said Lance, trying to comfort him.

“It’s like everyone wants a say in our wedding.”

“Everyone does want a say in our wedding,” said Lance.

“Why? It’s not their wedding!”

“I know, but it’s not stopping them.”

“It’s our wedding and I’ve already heard enough about it,” said Keith.

“Why don’t we do something that really emphasizes the engagement?”

“Like what?” Keith asked.

“Like - like engagement photos!”

“What, like getting an engagement photoshoot done?”

“Yeah, exactly!” said Lance, eyes lighting up at the fact that Keith got it.

“If you wanna do it, I’m cool with it.”

“Yeah? It doesn’t make you uncomfortable?”

“Nope. Besides, there’s not a lot of pictures of me when I was young, my mom’s gonna get so excited over this. Yeah, let’s do it.”

“Yeah? Awesome! We’re doing it!” Lance spun Keith around in his exuberance. “You’re amazing!”

Keith laughed. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” said Lance, and he pulled Keith in and kissed him.

After the kiss, Keith said, “So who would take them?”

“I’m not sure, but I know a guy who will probably know a guy,” said Lance.

As Keith fondly rolled his eyes at the joke, Lance dialed his phone.

“Hey Coran,” said Lance as Coran picked up the phone.

“Hello, my boy,” said Coran. “What can I do for you?”

“Well, for us, Keith’s here with me,” said Lance. “We want to have an engagement photoshoot done. Do we know anybody with that specific skill set?”

“Hmm,” Coran said thoughtfully. “I think I know of someone. I’ll see if I can make some arrangements for you.”

“Thank you, Coran. If you need payment, you can definitely use my card.”

“Or mine,” said Keith.

“I’ll probably call back to arrange a time and date if this works out, so if you haven’t decided then, I’ll forward you the invoice,” said Coran cheerfully.

“Thanks, Coran,” said Lance and Keith.

“Anything for my favorite couple!”

“Aww, Coran,” said Lance, touched.

“Don’t tell Shiro and Curtis. Or Hunk and Shay. Or Romelle and Sven. Or Lotor and Narti. Or anyone, really,” said Coran furtively before hanging up the phone.

That night, they were sent a time, date, and starting location, along with an invoice, in an email from Coran. Coran didn’t tell them who it was, only that it was someone they knew.

They showed up at the meetup location on the day of several minutes early, brimming with excitement.

Both Lance and Keith broke out in grins when the photographer that exited the car ended up being Ryan Kinkade from MFE. Before ending up as an up and coming rock star, Kinkade was a prodigy photographer and videographer and still enjoyed doing that work.

“Hey Lance, hey Keith,” said Kinkade.

“Hey Kinkade,” said Keith.

“Should have known Coran would choose you,” said Lance.

“I haven’t been able to shoot anything in a while, so I was pretty excited to get this opportunity,” said Kinkade.

Keith and Lance spent all day with Kinkade taking pictures, only stopping when it got dark. Kinkade seemed to have a theme in mind, but he did take several suggestions from Keith and Lance, and the three of them ended up driving all over Plaht City to get the best shots. Then they treated Kinkade to a late dinner despite already paying him a decent amount of money and several drinks to take their pictures.

They got their photos within the week, and the day they got them, Lance and Keith spent the day pouring over the pictures, picking out the ones the liked and laughing at the funny ones and the bloopers.

Eventually, Keith and Lance chose a selection of photos and got with Coran and the social media team to make a release of them. Hopefully, the media would go crazy over the photos and drop the subject of the wedding, at least for a while. They even made a new account specifically to be a joint account for the release.

@_lanceandkeithmckogane: In addition to our separate handles, we now have this joint one! It’s for when we’re in agreement or it concerns both of us, like the best of our engagement photos, taken by the best photographer/videographer in the rock world, @pickade! _

Of course, not all their favorites were up there. Some were too personal, in Lance and Keith’s opinion, but the pictures they put up were legitimately among the ones they loved.

There was a close up of Keith's hand with his engagement ring holding the guitar he was playing during “Last Ex-Boyfriend”. There was an adorable photo of Keith sitting on Lance's lap while Lance plays his guitar around them. There was a shot of Keith, Lance, Red, and Blue all cuddled up on their couch in the apartment. There was one photo with Keith leaning against a brick wall and Lance leaning over him and them kissing and a subsequent photo with reversed positions and Keith's engagement ring being visible. There was a long shot of Keith and Lance walking away from the camera holding hands and with guitars on their back. There was a picture of them on one of the couches in their rehearsal space, Keith lounging on one end and Lance laying across it with his head in Keith’s lap. There was a really cool shot of Keith and Lance on stage kissing but it's dark and shadowy and the lights are placed to where you can only really see their outlines. There was a cute photo of Lance kissing the hand that Keith's engagement ring is on. There was a wide shot of a wall of blue and red graffiti that Keith and Lance had done, love notes and Paladins lyrics and really cool artwork, and Lance and Keith were kissing off to the side while also holding cans of spray paint, streaks of paint in their hair.

There were many more photos they didn’t use, and Lance and Keith shared all of them with their family and friends - well, almost all of them. There were just a couple of pictures that would forever stay between Keith and Lance and Kinkade - shots so personal that it would almost feel like a betrayal to share them. But as far as their friends and family were concerned, they got to see all of the pictures.

All in all, the engagement photos had been a huge success with their audience, and for the most part, it successfully redirected and distracted everyone. Kinkade even got a lot of accolades and attention for his work.

Things calmed down for Keith and Lance after the release of the engagement photos. It also helped that as Atlas came closer to finishing and releasing their album, Keith and Lance and the rest of the Paladins were doing as much as they could to help their brother band through this process, even if it was just little things like bringing them food or acting as sounding boards for their ideas. They were even doing a lot of free promotion for Atlas’ new album, which was set to drop the first of November.

And then it was Keith's birthday, October 23rd.

The day started with a lazy morning - Keith had intended to go work out, but Lance was rather convincing. In fact, Lance spent hours convincing Keith that they didn’t need to get up, and in the end, Keith was thoroughly convinced.

After all that convincing and a long shower, they ordered in food from Keith’s favorite restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, they took Keith’s motorcycle out into the country to go on a high-speed cruise. When they ended up in the town where Keith’s dad was buried, they went to visit him. And when they got back, Keith checked his social media notifications for the birthday wishes and appreciation posts while he and Lance got ready to head to Krolia’s house.

And there were many:

_ @keefluver: Happy Birthday, @keithykogane! You’re my favorite Paladin and I love you! _

_ @media&music&movies: Man, Keith Kogane has gone through so much, I hope he’s having an amazing birthday surrounded by those that love him _

_ @peacelovemusic: but like it's really important to the mixed-race community that @keithykogane is so visible and relevant in the public/celebrity sphere but also in a positive light and well-regarded? he didn’t get to grow up knowing both sides of his heritage and had to learn about it later, which is a common experience, and both he and the media don’t ignore that he’s mixed and manage not to make it his entire identity. also, he has a lot of good songs both on albums and as singles that are really relatable and also comforting? like, when you hear keith’s songs you know someone else goes through what you go through, but also when you hear keith’s songs, especially his most recent ones, you also know it can get better? he’s just so unapologetically himself and that makes him a role model for everybody whose mixed-race (also shout out to @TheTrueKingandGeneral too for the same reasons) _

There were also posts from other bands, bands they knew and bands they wished they knew, as well as other celebrities and people Keith knew.

And then there were their friends’ posts.

_ @shirothehero: @keithykogane To my baby brother on his birthday - Keith, every time I think that I couldn’t be more proud of you, you make sure I know I’m wrong. You have grown so much from when we first met, and you just never stop growing. God, you’re 26 today. It’s so hard to picture you being 26. Sometimes, when I look at you, I still see the angry 10 or 11 year old you were when we met. You were so small then. So small and angry and alone. I remember just wanting to protect you from whatever had hurt you. I look at you as you are now, and it’s such a difference. You smile, you laugh. I see how happy you are, how secure you feel, how successful you are and how open and confident you let yourself be. And when I think of myself at 26, I was nowhere close to as put-together and successful as you are now. When I was 26, we were at such a pivotal moment as the Paladins, and my life was so chaotic, and my mind was in shambles. But at 26, you’re a band co-leader, you’ve reconnected with your mom, you have a wide group of friends and family, and you’re engaged to be married to a man who treats you better than I ever could have hoped. At 26, you are living life as the best version of yourself. I am so proud of you, Keith. You are the most resilient person I know. You have been through so much, lost so much, and yet, whatever life’s thrown at you, you have survived all off it. You’re still standing despite at all. I can only wish I could be as strong as you. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to watch you grow and be a part of your life. You could not be more of a brother to me than you already are, even if we shared blood and DNA. I hope that you get all the best in life. I hope you know that I will always be here for you. I made a promise to myself when you were brought home that I would always love and protect you, and I will do so as long as I live and breathe. Sometimes, I think finding you and keeping you was the best thing I ever did. You are a blessing, Keith Yorak Kogane, and my life would never be the same without you in it. I love you, baby brother. Happy Birthday! _

_ @kuroisthenewblack: @keithykogane Happy Birthday, Keith! Now, we both know Shiro is going to write you something sappy, a true tear-jerker, but that’s not my style. Keith, you are a little shit. But you’re also my little shit, and life wouldn’t be the same without you. You are the most reckless and stubborn person I know, but there’s also few people I’d trust to come to my defense like you do. I wasn’t exactly happy when Mom and Dad brought you home after you met Shiro and he told us all about you, but now I’m glad they did. Happy Birthday Keith, and I hope that fiancé of yours is showing you exactly how much he loves you ;) _

_ @TheIncredibleHunk: @keithykogane Keith, happy birthday buddy! Of all the people my best friend has loved, you are and always will be the best. You two are so cute together and so good for each other. You’re one of my closest friends in your own right, too, and I’m so blessed to know you. You challenge me to be better and have always been a pillar of strength, both for me and for our group as a whole. I hope this birthday is the best one yet! I love you man! _

_ @pidgeon: @keithykogane happy birthday you emo! Seriously though, Keith, I’m so glad you were born. You’ve been my best friend for a long time and we go way back - hell, we met back when we both only had one last name. Sometimes, I think about everything we have now - a rock career, cats, all the money and food any stuff we could ever want, families, friends, lovers - and I wish little kid Pidge Gunderson and little kid Keith Kogane could have known they had futures like this, but I know it would be unbelievable just how much they had to look forward to. We got through some tough shit together, K, but we made it. Started at the bottom and now we’re here. And you deserve all of it, Keith. Happy 26th Birthday! _

_ @allure: The start of the holiday season for me hasn’t been Halloween for a long time. For me, it begins with wishing @keithykogane a very happy birthday. Keith, you are one of the kindest people I know. Not many would have been so forgiving after our friendship hit a rough spot when I found out you were half Galran and I was cruel to you, seeing how our families were so involved in the Galran-Altean Conflict. Every day, I’m glad I got over myself because you are a fantastic person who has done so many amazing things and I treasure our friendship. Happy Birthday, Keith! _

_ @curtkisshirogane: @keithykogane Happy Birthday to my favorite brother-in-law (just kidding, Kuro)! You’re a good kid Keith, and I hope you know I was never frustrated when you were overprotective of Takashi or jealous of your relationship with him, all things considered. In fact, I am so thankful that you are such a good brother to him, that bond makes you both so happy. You have become a little brother to me, too, and you and Kuro are the brothers I never had. I am so excited for you and I hope you and Lance have a happy, blissful marriage. I’m sure I don’t have to hope though, since Lance is so obvious about how much he adores you. Love you, little brother! _

Lance’s came last, and Keith suspected Lance had written it while Keith was having a private moment with his father at his grave. 

_ @LancelotMcClain: @keithykogane Happy birthday Keith. We have known each other for fourteen years. Through all of these years that I’ve known you, you’ve been so much to me - my once rival, my friend, my bandmate, my light, my love, my guiding north star. Now you’re my fiancé. On my birthday, you told me that proposing to you was the best gift I ever gave you. Well, the same goes for me. Agreeing to marry me on that stage has been the best gift you have ever given me. Keith, I believe you know I’m in love with you, but what you may not know is that I have been in love with you for years, since we were teenagers. Back then, I never would have thought that I could get you to date me, let alone love me and agree to marry me. You’re not just talented, you’re a prodigy. Underneath that attitude you put on to protect yourself is such a genuinely kind, thoughtful, and generous heart. How could such an amazing person ever have fallen for someone like me? But you did, and I can never be grateful enough that you gave me a chance. A lot of my stans try to claim that you’re not good enough for me, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s the complete opposite, I’m not sure I can ever be good enough for you. I can only love you the way that you deserve, the way that you need. You’re such a beautiful person, inside and out. Sometimes I can just look at you for hours. You have so many amazing qualities, but I don’t think I could ever list them all, and words aren’t enough to describe how perfect you are or how much you mean to me. Four languages between us and none of them are enough to describe our love. Keith, you're the strongest and bravest person I know. You have survived some of the worst things that can happen to a person, and a lot of them were during what should have been your childhood, and I could never have gone through what you did and come out to be near as amazing as you are. The world has not been as loving and kind to you as it should have been, but I am going to spend the rest of my life making it wish it had been. Together, we’ll face whatever life has in store for us. A day will never go by when I do not love you. Te amo, mi corazón <3, and happy birthday! _

“Lance, you sap,” said Keith, sniffling.

“Your sap,” said Lance. “Now and always.”

They finished getting ready and took one of their sports cars to Krolia’s house.

Keith had a much smaller birthday party than Lance - only his family (real, adopted, and married in), the Paladins, Matt, and Coran. Still, it was just as fun, maybe more considering things weren’t being made about the wedding.

After Keith’s birthday, they were caught up in a swarm as Atlas found itself in the final stretch of putting its album together.

Keith could have sworn he hadn’t seen or heard from Shiro in days when he randomly showed up at Keith and Lance’s apartment.

“Would it be okay if we used one of your engagement photos for the cover of our album?” Shiro asked.

“Which one?” Keith asked.

Shiro flipped through the photo book before he found the one he was looking for and held it up for them.

Lance and Keith looked at each other for a moment, silently discussing it, and then looked to Shiro, grinning at him. “That one? Absolutely.”

Shiro smiled back. “Thanks, guys.”

They got to see that album cover a few days later.

The photo on the album cover totally worked with the name of the album, which was one of the hit songs, a rebellious kind of love song. Keith and Lance hadn’t wanted to post it with their other photos, because it could possibly be seen as offensive. Keith and Lance, on the right and left respectively, were pretty much blurred out, but you could tell they were kissing, and in the foreground of the shot, both of them were giving a middle finger to the camera. Lance was giving a full-on bird, but Keith’s raised his middle finger while the rest of his fingers made a fist, palm facing skyward, so they could see the engagement ring. The name of the album was scrawled in the space above their heads.

They all would have forgotten Halloween was coming up if not for the need to make plans for it.

The Paladins and Atlas had been just some of the many celebrities who had agreed to go to a costume charity event/party for Plaht City’s children’s hospital. The two bands agreed to go to Plaht City General Hospital first to see the kids there, then hop over to Plaht City Children’s Hospital for the event, and then they were going to a Halloween party that MFE was hosting (Veronica and Ryan were the only ones that celebrated Christmas, so they went big for Halloween and Thanksgiving).

Naturally, the Paladins and Atlas got together to discuss what sort of group costume they could do for going to the hospitals when they had so many members. Eventually, they settled on superheroes (Marvel ones, that way there was a lot more that people knew so no one had to be something embarrassing - even though Lance actually said he wouldn’t mind being Aquaman). As often happened, this kind of meeting ended up becoming a social visit and growing to include spouses and siblings.

Keith and Lance ended up on their own, washing dishes in the Paladins’ rehearsal space’s kitchenette, discussing what they would dress up as for the MFE’s party after the hospital visits.

“Why don’t you be grooms for Halloween?” Veronica suggested as she brought them more plates.

Lance gasped dramatically. “Veronica! Are you hearing yourself right now? Halloween is the only day of the year you can dress as spooky and otherworldly and elaborately as you want and you just suggested being grooms? That’s basically just wearing suits! Where’s the creativity in that? Where’s the extravagance in that?”

“Okay, wow, no need to yell or get offended, I was just making a suggestion that I thought would be cute since you’re engaged and the wedding and everything.”

“Veronica, that’s nice and all, but our lives don’t revolve around our marriage,” said Keith with a shrug.

“Are you kidding me right now?” Veronica demanded. “Your wedding is the most important event of your lives!”

Lance shrugged. “Not really, Keith and I aren’t rushing into marriage, and the wedding hasn’t happened yet. For us, starting the Paladins or becoming engaged is definitely more important.”

Veronica looked so shocked. “How can you be so selfish and irresponsible? You need to get your priorities straight-”

But before it could turn to a full-scale fight, Hunk intervened and kicked Keith and Lance ‘out of his kitchen’ so he could cook some more desserts, roping Veronica into helping him.

Soon, Halloween was upon them.

Although there were definitely superheroes being left out that they liked, the band chose to go with the Marvel heroes that would be most recognizable. For the Atlas guys, Shiro was Captain America, Kuro was Thor, Curtis was Black Panther and Matt was Iron Man. The other members of the Paladins were going Allura as Captain Marvel, Pidge as Black Widow, and Hunk as Hulk. Lance and Keith themselves were SpiderMan and Wolverine respectively.

Their hospital tours and events ended up being really successful. The gave out candy and talked to the kids and played with them, and were even cajoled into singing or full-on playing a few of their songs. They made sure their donations were all received before they even thought about leaving. 

After the charity events, Keith and Lance headed home, changed outfits, and went off to the MFE’s party. Keith and Lance decided to go as Hanzo and McCree from Overwatch to the MFE’s party, and laughed to see that Acxa and Veronica had gone to the party as Widowmaker and Sombra, also from Overwatch. Tricks, treats, and fun was had by all.

The next day, Atlas’ new album dropped and Keith and Lance would be going to the album’s launch party.

Keith and Lance were honestly excited for the launch party for the new album. Sure, they had just been to a party the night before, but they loved the album, and they were super proud of Atlas and ready to brag about them. Also, it was bound to be a fun party, another party they could just let loose at because they didn’t have to host it.

They spent the first half of the day just chilling and spent the second half first helping Atlas set up and then going home and getting ready for the party.

Keith didn’t really wear makeup, so he got showered and dressed while Lance was still choosing his outfit. As it wasn’t their own party, they could dress however they wanted to. Keith was wearing his favorite black leather pants, skinny in such a way that flattered his legs and hips, and a red denim jacket over a black cropped tank top.

Clothes in hand, Lance was making his way to the bathroom to shower, dress and then do his beauty routine when he stopped short, seeing Keith absentmindedly shoving his feet in a pair of Vans, looking at his phone.

“Goddammit Keith, you know how much I like you in those pants,” said Lance, unabashedly eyeing Keith’s body.

“You’re always so quick to take them off of me though,” said Keith in amusement.

“I can’t help if they also look good around your feet,” said Lance.

“Seriously, Lance?” said Keith, rolling his eyes, but he was blushing.

“You should take another shower,” said Lance.

“I’m already ready to go, I’m just waiting on you,” said Keith.

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith. “It’s okay, you should have another shower.”

Keith had another shower.

After their shower, Keith got dressed all over again while Lance got dressed and styled his hair and makeup.

“Ready to go?” Keith asked.

“I’ve already been ready to go, I’m just waiting on you,” said Lance, mocking Keith.

Keith rolled his eyes and shoved Lance, Lance shoved him back, and they ended up racing each other to the garage.

The party was at a rock club, one of the first Atlas had ever played at. The party had clearly already started by the time they got there, and Lance seemed to get pumped at the energy they could both already feel. Security took one look at them and let them in without any trouble.

The club was packed when they got inside.

The album’s songs and some of Atlas’ other hits were playing in a loop. The bar was open and doing a good business. The dance floor was full of bodies writhing to the beat. Colored lights flickered overhead of everything. They were greeted by people around them as they entered, but no one familiar was in sight.

With no sign of either of Keith’s brothers, they decided just to find any of the band members, so at least someone in Atlas would know they were there.

This turned out to be more difficult than either of them suspected. For one thing, the club was packed, which was good for the event, but it made it difficult to find anyone. For another, they could hardly make it a few steps without someone trying to get their attention. They didn’t mind their friends or fellow musicians as much, but a lot of the media was at the party, and they seemed more keen on asking Keith and Lance about the wedding rather than their thoughts on Atlas’ album. At most, they’d ask whether the photo was from their engagement photo shoot.

At last, their search paid off.

They found Matt curled up on one of the couches with his wife. Both had drinks, and Pidge, Mr. and Mrs. Holt, and Rolo, Nyma, and Beezer were sitting around them and talking.

Maybe a few years before, Lance and Keith would be upset at seeing Nyma, given she was Lance’s ex, but since then they had grown a lot and become confident in their relationship - they had even been touched when they were invited to Rolo and Nyma’s wedding.

“Wanna go say hi?” Lance asked.

“Sure,” said Keith, and the two of them made their way over to the group.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the faces of the album,” Matt said as they came up, toasting them.

“Hey everybody,” said Lance.

“Come on, sit down, have a drink, we’re celebrating,” said Pidge.

“Don’t mind if we do,” said Keith, and soon they were curled up together on the only open couch left in this grouping, both with drinks.

“You guys manage to get here okay?” asked Sam Holt, still managing fatherly concern despite the setting.

“Yeah, we did. How about you? Enjoying the party? Glad the album’s finally out?”

“God yes,” said Matt. “There was way too much to organize and make fit together.”

“He was running out of different colored dividers and sticky notes,” said Matt’s wife in amusement.

“Listen, sis, color-coding is very important, we aren’t animals or neanderthals,” said Pidge.

“Exactly! Put it there,” said Matt, offering her his fist.

Pidge fist bumped him and pulled away with an explosion noise.

“Boom,” said Matt after the fist bump, as if that solidified the point. 

The group laughed, although no doubt the drinks meant they were finding this funnier than they should.

“No little one tonight?” Lance asked, changing the subject.

“Nah, we got him a sitter,” said Matt’s wife. “We party way too hard for him.”

Matt Holt’s wife was Neva Dashiell-Holt, better known as N-7. They met at a music awards show and hit it off. The next year, they’d attended it together as a couple. The year after that, they attended it as husband and wife.

“Definitely way too hard,” said Sam Holt, Matt’s dad and also Atlas’ agent/manager. He and Coran had a lot in common in that respect and got on famously.

“Well, you’ve earned it,” said Keith.

“Thanks, man,” said Matt.

“Have you see Shiro? Or Kuro?”

“Not recently, but they’re definitely here,” said Matt.

Lance snorted. “I would hope so.”

“You would think,” Matt agreed.

“Eh, Shiro’s probably making out with Curtis in a corner somewhere,” said Pidge.

They all laughed at that, even if Colleen Holt lightly scolded Pidge.

When their drink glasses were empty, Lance and Keith excused themselves and made their way to the bar. They got a second round of drinks, and were about to head off in search of Keith’s brothers again when Keith saw a familiar face.

“Sven!” Keith called cheerfully.

Sven Holgersson looked over as Keith and Lance made their way over to them. “Hello, little cousin.” They weren’t technically cousins or related, as Sven was Shiro and Kuro’s cousin, but Sven and Keith still saw each other as cousins. “And future cousin-in-law. Congratulations on your engagement, by the way.”

“Thanks, Sven,” said Keith.

“So, are you enjoying the party?” Lance asked.

“Oh, it’s been fun. Saw you two on the cover art. Are you on the album?”

“Nah, we helped a lot in production though. Shiro asked if he could use the picture, so we said why not,” said Keith.

“It’s cute how much Shiro adores you both,” Sven said with a laugh.

“Shiro adores who? Oh, hi Keith, Lance,” said Romelle, walking over with two drinks. She handed one to Sven, who kissed her cheek in thanks.

“Hey,” said Lance.

“Hi Romelle,” said Keith.

“I was just telling them it’s cute how Shiro adores Keith and Lance so much he used a photo of them for an album they’re not even on,” Sven told Romelle.

“I see. That was a wonderful picture, boys,” said Romelle.

“Thanks, it’s from our photoshoot,” said Keith.

“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” said Lance. “We’ve been on the hunt for Shiro and Kuro ourselves.”

Romelle giggled. “Atlas made sure I was invited, but Krolia actually called Shiro, Kuro, and Curtis to make sure I was invited.”

Keith rolled his eyes playfully and joked, “You’re not even really my sister or a ‘gane and you still ended up the favorite child.”

The four of them laughed.

“Is Krolia coming?”

“No, she had a prior engagement meeting up with her service buddies,” said Keith. “She wanted to be here though. I’ll tell her you said hi.”

“Please do.”

The four of them stood there chatting for a while until they were mobbed once again by the media. Keith and Lance escaped in one direction, and Sven and Romelle escaped in another. What surprised Lance and Keith were the glares from other guests near and around the bar (maybe for attracting attention?).

Keith and Lance were once again on their own. Thankfully, they didn’t have to wander the club for too much longer before they found Shiro and Kuro.

"Shiro! Kuro!" Keith called to them.

"Keith!" They toasted at them as Keith and Lance made their way over to them.

Shiro pulled Keith and Kuro into a big group hug. Lance smiled at the brotherly moment.

After the hug, Shiro and Kuro both exchanged greetings with Lance as well. "We're so glad you're here, having fun?" Shiro asked them.

"I'd say so, though we've spent most of it looking for you," said Keith.

"We talked with the Holts for a bit though, and we ran into Sven and Romelle," said Lance.

Shiro and Kuro lit up. "Sven's here?"

"Yeah, he's-

"Reacquainting himself with your husband," said Sven as he and Curtis joined the group.

Kuro gave his cousin a hug, the shoulder-clapping kind, while Shiro and Curtis shared a quick kiss.

Curtis smiled at Keith and Lance. "There you are! Sven told me he saw you. Welcome to the party, thanks for coming."

"Of course, we wanted to be here," said Keith.

They got into a deep discussion about the album. They were talking about some of the meanings behind the songs when they were mobbed by the media guests again. It was the perfect time to ask questions about the album, but two of them all but physically separated Lance and Keith from Keith’s family to ask questions about the proposal and the wedding. It took several repetitions of the same phrase telling them that they were only going to answer questions about Atlas’ album before they got the hint and went over to the members of Atlas.

“Why does it always gotta be about them?” someone muttered near Keith and Lance.

Whether or not they were meant to hear it, they heard it. Lance’s grip tightened on Keith’s hand, but they didn’t react to it.

They tried to brush it off and have fun, Lance pulling Keith onto the dancefloor. 

But once they heard the first little comment, they couldn’t stop overhearing them. Talk about how the media and influencers wouldn’t be nearly as bad if Keith and Lance weren’t in attendance. Accusations about how they must be wanting to draw attention to themselves, since they were only getting mobbed because lance had proposed publicly. Conjectures on how big Lance and Keith’s egos must be to insist a picture of them should be the album cover. Complaints about how The Paladins couldn’t stop hogging Shiro. Of course, everyone was nice to Keith and Lance’s faces, but they could read between the lines.

"I think we should go home," said Keith after escaping from the media once again.

"Keith, are you sure?" Lance asked. "I know how important this is to you - to both of us, actually."

"I'm sure," said Keith. "People are just going to be bothering us all night, and it's not fair that our relationship is taking away from Atlas' success just because the media won't leave us alone. I want to be here, these are my brothers, but it's not doing any of us any good."

Lance sighed. "I understand, Keith. I just wish it didn't have to be this way."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Keith, choked up. “Tonight was supposed to be fun."

“We should let Shiro know we’re leaving.”

“Yeah, I’ll send him a text to meet us out back.”

He typed a quick message and the two navigated through the crowd as quickly and quietly as possible. The venue’s fenced-in patio was quiet, most people were inside enjoying the music and dancing and alcohol.

Shiro was outside with them a few minutes later, a concerned look on his face that only seemed to strengthen when he saw Keith’s face. “Hey, what’s the problem guys?”

“Our presence here is doing nothing for Atlas or the album, so, we’re going to head out,” said Lance. 

“We want you to be happy and everyone to stay and enjoy your success, and we wanna be here too, but everybody’s asking about the wedding and the media’s harassing us, and trying to put all this attention on us when it should be on you, it’s your day,” said Keith, voice wavering. “We’re only hurting you by staying.”

“Keith, none of us think that,” said Shiro gently.

“Maybe not any of the fam, but we’ve gotten enough glares from random strangers tonight to know that’s not true,” said Lance. “Don’t end anything on our account, that’ll only make things worse for us. Just - tell the rest of Atlas we’re sorry.”

Shiro gave them a sad smile. “I’ll save you both some cake. Do you need an escort out?”

“We’d rather not have the attention,” said Lance.

Keith hugged Shiro, and backed off just as quickly. “We’re good, Shiro. I’ll see you later.”

Shiro savored the embrace as long as it lasted and then Keith and Lance jumped the fence and made their way stealthily down the alley to their car.

They got back to their car without being noticed or bothered and they went home mostly in silence. They ended up in their bed in their apartment, Lance curled around Keith as tears slid down his face silently.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. No one made Keith cry. 

The next day, Lance had a meeting with Coran and their social media team, and after pulling Keith into the discussion, a statement was released:

@_l__anceandkeithmckogane: Hey everybody, Lance here! Listen, I know everybody’s really excited about the wedding, trust me, we are too. But I think it’s gotten really out of hand. Constantly asking us questions and badgering us about the wedding, especially in inappropriate spaces and events that aren’t about us, especially during times when the attention shouldn’t be on us, has put a lot of pressure and stress on us, and it’s strained both our relationship and our relationships with our friends and family. Look, guys gals and nonbinary pals, I might occasionally wax poetic about knowing I’m the luckiest man alive when I wake up in the morning and Keith’s either in my arms or holding me in his, and how much I enjoy how peaceful Keith looks on the rare times he falls asleep first, but our relationship is still our own. It’s still a private thing between the two of us. And ultimately, only Keith and I get a say in what happens in our relationship. Advice is one thing, but what’s been happening concerning the wedding is quite another, and it crosses the line. And it says quite a lot about what our society values when we’re pressuring people - especially people we haven’t met - into marriage. Our marriage is for us, not for anyone else. We’ll get to it when we get to it. (and, in case it wasn’t clear, Keith and I are no longer taking questions/interviews or answering social media posts about the wedding.) _

Many people did not react well to the statement, including some of Lance’s family. That night at dinner, Lance and his mother broke out into a huge argument over it.

“Well maybe we wanna take it slow! Maybe we wanna have an engagement party!”

“Well then have an engagement party!”

“Alright then. We’ll have an engagement party!”

Mr. McClain ended up choosing this point in the argument to intervene and stop the fight. Although they weren’t fighting anymore, tension was thick, and Lance and Keith left soon after.

“Now we gotta plan an engagement party.”

“At least they’re off our backs about the wedding.”

“True.” Keith kissed Lance. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

"It's big for you to go against your mom," said Keith.

"It is," said Lance. "But the moment I proposed to you, I chose you. I chose you as my person and my priority. We're a team now. I mean, we were before, but officially, permanently. We look after each other, we watch each other's backs. I don't want to have to take sides, but if I have to, this is the team I'm siding with. Every time."

"I love you, Sunshine," said Keith.

"I love you too, Starlight," said Lance.

They decided to have the engagement party two days after Christmas, December 27th. Some of their friends thought they should host it earlier, but it was abysmal trying to host anything between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they were already in the beginning of November, so it would be very expensive to book anywhere this last minute, if they could find a place that could host the kind of party they were going to have.

November went by in what felt like moments. The media and their families backed off the wedding to an extent, but on the other hand, it was replaced by their engagement party. Lance and Keith were honestly relieved when Thanksgiving entered the horizon and took the attention off them.

In the past, Keith and Lance had usually celebrated Thanksgiving with their families separately, with the McClain Thanksgiving happening on the day of and Krolia hosting hers on the day before or the day after, whenever Keith and Shiro and Kuro weren’t with their significant others’ families. However, this year, Krolia, Shiro, Kuro, and Curtis had all been invited to Thanksgiving dinner at the McClains, with Mr. and Mrs. McClain citing that they were all officially part of the family now that Keith and Lance were engaged.

Keith and Lance spent their days separately. Lance spent the day at his parents’ house. Keith went with Krolia, Shiro, Kuro, and Curtis to the gathering of Krolia’s semi-former team and their families. The team tried to get together like this whenever they could, and Keith himself had gotten to know several of the member well. Luckily, Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, Regris, Ilun and Vrek were all there, and the only time Keith’s new relationship status was mentioned was to assure them that they were all in fact invited to the wedding.

They left in the afternoon, picked up some food they had made to go with the McClains’ meal, and showed up at the McClains’ house not long before dinner. Lance and Keith kissed right there in the entryway when the ‘gane clan arrived, leading to wolf whistles from Keith’s and Lance’s siblings. Keith, Lance, and their siblings and siblings’ spouses sat in the living room and talked while Lance's nieces and nephews played and Krolia joined Mr. and Mrs. McClain in the kitchen to help with the last finishing touches on dinner.

They all soon sat down to dinner, and as they dug into the meal, with dishes from seemingly all over the world, Keith couldn’t help but smile at the thought that this would be what all their holidays would be like in the future: blended families, lots of food, everyone he loved together. And Lance just like the way he was right now: sitting next to Keith absentmindedly playing sideways-footsies, smiling so brightly, laughing at jokes from his friends and family, blue eyes gleaming. Keith found himself just staring at Lance, watching and admiring him.

“Need something, love?” Lance asked quietly, startling Keith.

“No, just got lost in thought,” said Keith.

“Good thoughts?”

“Yeah.”

“What kind of good thoughts?” Lance asked, dropping his voice even lower, to a whisper.

“The kind where this is what the rest of our lives looks like, from now own,” whispered Keith. “Even being a rock star was more believable than getting a future like this, and I never thought I’d be a rock star either.”

“And you’re happy with it?” Lance asked.

“Happier than I ever could have dreamed,” Keith confirmed.

Lance beamed softly at him. “I’m so glad, Keith. I’m going to make sure we’ve always got this kind of love in our lives, even when it’s not a holiday. You’re never going to be alone, and we’re going to have everything you never dared to dream of.”

“How did I ever deserve you?” Keith asked rhetorically.

“What are you whispering about with Uncle Keith, Tio Lance?” Sylvio asked.

“Just how much we love each other,” Lance lied to the nosy child.

“Eww,” Sylvio and Nadia chorused.

“Eww is right,” Kuro agreed.

“Shut up,” said Keith, leaning around the back of Krolia’s chair to swat at Kuro, who was sitting on the other side of Krolia. Kuro, always happy to fight, readily engaged with him. Krolia just kept eating as if she didn’t notice and this was normal behavior, but the dead expression on her face gave her away.

Lance’s twin sister Rachel glanced at Keith and then at Lance. “That’s the man you’re going to spend the rest of your life with,” she deadpanned. 

“I know,” said Lance dreamily. When Keith leaned back into his seat, hair slightly tousled from his brief playfight with Kuro, Lance kissed Keith’s cheek.

“If they ever actually get to the altar,” Veronica muttered.

Acxa saved the day by changing the subject to what King and General had been getting up to lately, telling stories that sent the whole table laughing.

All in all, Thanksgiving actually ended up being a great holiday. Even when wedding talk and the engagement party did come up, Keith and Lance or their allies happily redirected it to something else, be it Atlas’ new album’s success, plans for their upcoming tour, Veronica and MFE, Acxa and King and General, or Christmas and New Year’s plans.

If November had been fast, December flew by even quicker. On the one hand, it felt like their lives went back to normal to a certain extent, falling back into the same home routines. On the other hand, the holidays were in full swing, which meant decorating, events, and family. Plus, there was heavy party planning happening - especially when with said family. Keith and Lance coveted the quiet moments at their apartment with just the two of them (and their cats).

Thankfully, Christmas Eve was all their own - besides lunch with the band so they could exchange presents. Then on Christmas Day, Lance and Keith made plans to spend the morning at their apartment, have lunch and the afternoon with Keith’s side of the family, and then dinner and the evening with Lance’s side of the family.

But Christmas Eve was their own. Other than lunch with their friends, which they thoroughly enjoyed. They spent the day putting up any last decorations, baking desserts for the gatherings tomorrow, getting themselves on the naughty list, playing with the cats, and watching Christmas movies. When the movies weren’t on, Christmas music was going. Lance sang along with every song he knew, eventually cajoling Keith to sing with him, and then they pulled out their guitars and tried playing rock covers of the songs, giggling, drunk on their love and from the alcohol they’d been spiking their drinks with.

That evening, as they curled up on their sofa together with (nonalcoholic) hot chocolate, Lance turned to Keith and smiled at him.

“Just think, it’s our first Christmas as fiancés.”

“It’ll probably be our only Christmas as fiancés.”

“Doesn’t that make it all the more special?”

Keith smiled. “Yeah, it does.”

Keith eventually fell asleep on that sofa, and Lance carried him to bed, humming Silent Night as quietly as he could.

Morning came quietly, light eking through the cracks around their curtains. Keith woke first, as usual, and cuddled into his fiancé, enjoying his warmth and watching him sleep.

Eventually, Lance’s blue eyes cracked open, and Keith smiled gently at him.

“Merry Christmas, love,” said Keith.

“Mm, Merry Christmas,” Lance murmured in agreement, snuggling into Keith.

A moment later, Lance suddenly surged upright, eyes wide open. “It’s Christmas!”

“I know,” said Keith, attempting to pull him back down so they could go back to cuddling.

“Keith, it’s Christmas!” Lance jumped out of bed and started pulling him up.

“And?”

“Keith, presents!”

“The presents will still be there in a few more minutes,” said Keith.

“Come on, Grinch, I’ll make some coffee,” said Lance, coaxing Keith out of bed.

Lance deposited Keith onto their couch and then padded into the kitchen, and within moments the meowing of cats could be heard alongside Lance’s quiet cooing as he fed them. Then a warm mug was placed into Keith’s hands, and he took a sip, trusting that Lance made his coffee just the way he liked it.

Instead of their normal stockings filled with their favorite candies, two massive stockings were laying next to the tree. Sticking out of each stocking was the neck of an electric guitar. Without pulling them out, it looked like the guitars were the same kind, just one red and one blue.

The only presents under their tree were the ones they had gifted each other and the ones that had been mailed to them from far-away family members and friends. They would exchange their other gifts from family and friends when they saw them in person.

After a few sips of coffee, Keith was much more awake. Lance grinned at him. “Did you see your stocking?”

“Stocking?” Keith asked, pretending he hadn’t for Lance’s excitement.

Lance’s grin got even bigger and he bounded over to the stockings on the floor, carefully handing Keith the one that was meant to be his.

Keith slid the guitar cautiously out of the stocking. It was one of the newest models of his favorite brand, red and shining. It was a thing of beauty.

“Lance, a guitar?” said Keith, looking up at his fiancé from the gorgeous (but no doubt expensive) guitar.

“I got one too, in blue!” said Lance, showing off his own guitar, a blue version, trying to stay within character. “I was just thinking about how cool it would be to have matching guitars with my husband. Santa must be a mind reader!”

“I don’t think he’s a mind reader, Lance, otherwise no one would end up on the nice list,” said Keith for the sake of arguing. 

“Well, then we’re just really lucky, huh?” said Lance.

Lance meant it as a joke, but Keith felt soft anyway. They really were lucky - to have all this, to be who they were, to be so in love. “Yeah.”

Lance melted in front of him, catching on to Keith’s mood. They both set their guitars down and kissed, long and slow and smooth.

When they broke apart, Lance smiled and said, “Why don’t we open up these presents?”

And so they opened up their presents. Keith couldn’t help the tug of his lips every time Lance exclaimed over something Keith got him, and Lance only seemed to get more excited with every gift Keith opened.

Keith thought once they had opened their gifts to each other, they would be done, but he was wrong. There were still presents under the tree. Lance must have gotten up sometime after Keith fell asleep and put them there.

“Look, Santa brought us some things!” 

Keith rolled his eyes but smiled at Lance. He knew, of course, that it was just Lance using Santa Claus as a front to buy themselves more gifts, especially joint gifts both of them would use or enjoy. Mr. and Mrs. Shirogane had done the same thing when they were alive, and Shiro and Kuro had taken it up when they became adults, and still spoiled Keith this way to this day. Even Krolia’s first gifts to him as an adult had been addressed from either ‘Santa’ (or ‘Krolia’), knowing that Keith wasn’t quite ready to address her as ‘Mom’, nor was she sure she had earned it. Keith, of course, knew there was no Santa Claus, had found out his first Christmas in the foster system when he’d been told there was no Santa and Keith would be getting no gifts.

“You open one first!” Lance insisted.

Keith picked a package and opened it up to find a set of Christmas tree ornaments - blue, red, black, and silver. “Ornaments? Lance, we already have ornaments.”

Lance nodded. “We do. You have some, I have some and a little more, honestly. But these ones are _ our _ ornaments - _ ours _ , next year, for _ our _ Christmas tree, for _ our _ first Christmas as a married couple. New Christmas ornaments for our new life together.”

“Lance, you sap,” said Keith, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Hey, it was _ Santa _ that got us these presents, I just happen to understand his thought process,” said Lance, lips twitching.

“Sure, Lance, how about you open up another present from _ Santa_?”

“Alright, I will,” said Lance, rising to the challenge as he grabbed another present.

After opening the second set of gifts, they got ready to leave and headed out to Krolia’s, where they were meeting the rest of Keith’s family. Keith drove and Lance sang Christmas carols along with the radio.

Keith and Lance were the last to arrive. They entered Krolia’s house to find Krolia, Shiro, Curtis, Kuro, Sven, Romelle, and Sven’s father Slav were all in attendance. Lance and Keith snickered at the expression on Shiro’s face as Slav ranted. Shiro had never really gotten along with Slav, and it had always been a point of amusement for Keith during Shirogane family Christmases when Sven and Slav always visited.

Fun was had by all during the Christmas lunch and the following gift exchange. As Lance found out, Slav was very particular about his Christmas gifts, giving people either something he should really have no business knowing what they wanted or something inexplicable and confusing, which Slav tried to explain how it was supposed to help them in this universe or not having this thing led to them finding or running into some kind of disaster in a certain percentage of universes. Sven and Krolia were the only ones who took it as if it were completely normal, everyone else had various reactions to it, from Shiro’s exasperation to Kuro’s amusement from Shiro’s reaction to Romelle’s utter seriousness to Curtis’ dead expression to Keith’s awkwardness to Lance’s complete bewilderment.

Luckily, Lance and Keith didn’t feel guilty about leaving to go to Lance’s family, in fact, quite the opposite, as not even Krolia was staying at Krolia’s when they were leaving. Curtis, Shiro, and Kuro were spending Christmas dinner with Curtis’ family, Sven, Romelle, and Slav were heading back to Coran’s, and Krolia was joining her squad.

Driving across town once again, Lance and Keith made it to Lance’s parents’ house just in time for dinner. Acxa and Veronica arrived immediately after Keith and Lance, and they all sat down to dinner. Dinner was a lively affair, as normal for the McClain family. Thankfully, Lance and Keith were left alone about both the wedding and the engagement party, despite the latter being so close.

After dinner, presents were once again exchanged. Only his nieces and nephews were possibly more excited than Lance, but unlike his nieces and nephews, Lance was clearly more excited about giving than receiving. Keith and Lance got some nice gifts, but the biggest one was the most complicated and also the one they received last.

“We got you something really special this year,” said Lance’s mother, handing Lance a small box.

“Are we about to find keys to something in this box?” Lance asked.

“Just open it!” 

Keith leaned on Lance’s shoulder to see better as Lance carefully opened the box. Inside the box were two golden rings, one with a loop of tiny diamonds around the middle of the band, and the other with just one tiny diamond.

“These-” started Lance.

“Are my parents’ engagement rings,” said Lance's mother. “They were buried with their wedding rings, but I kept these, hoping to pass them on at some point. But all of your married siblings had already bought their rings by the time I had the opportunity.”

“Mamá, this is…” said Lance, torn because on the one hand this was an honor, but on the other hand, they had wanted to find the perfect rings for them and getting these rings was just another way to put pressure on them about the wedding.

“This is way too much. Like, the un-repayable kind of way too much. I don’t think I’d be willing to part with anything I have left of my dad, or my adopted parents,” said Keith.

“Oh Keith, you’re so thoughtful,” said Mrs. McClain. “Don’t worry about it, I think they’d want you to have it.”

Keith and Lance tried to get her to take back the rings, but no amount of persuasion convinced her to take them back. They almost left the rings on the counter on their way out the door, but they didn’t want to offend Lance's mother, so they ended up leaving with the rings.

Lance and Keith had hoped the day between Christmas and their engagement party would be calm or easy, but it was not. They spent the day fielding questions, calming down stressed friends and family, and making all of the required bookings and purchases that still had to happen. Keith and Lance were exhausted by the end of the day.

And then the day of the party, December 27th, was upon them. 

They had a relatively quiet day, but after a few calls wondering if they were getting ready yet and asking last-minute questions about the party, Lance and Keith gave up and started getting ready.

Keith, of course, was done getting ready first. He was wearing a maroon suit jacket with matching maroon skinny slacks and a black button-up. Lance had tried to convince Keith to go with one of his purple outfits to match his eyes, but Keith said he’d rather save purple for the wedding, as it could be their (fitting) wedding color, as a mixture of red and blue. Lance had softened and agreed that tonight they were going red and blue. After getting dressed, Lance had done Keith’s hair and eyeliner and promptly kicked him out of the bathroom so he could finish getting ready, not wanting to push Keith past his comfort level with beauty products tonight, considering Keith was already stressed out about the whole thing.

Just then, Lance exited from the bathroom, and Keith felt his heart skip a beat. Sure, Lance had worn formalwear before, but this - 

He was wearing that bright blue suit jacket that matched his eyes perfectly and accentuated his chest and his well-toned and muscular arms in just the right way. Sometimes, when they were playing a show or when he really wanted to get Keith’s attention, he’d wear the jacket without a shirt (it killed Keith instantly). Tonight, he was wearing a white button-up underneath it, with enough buttons undone to show off some chest. He paired this with some skinny black slacks that flattered Lance’s long legs.

“Hot damn,” said Keith as he saw Lance walk out of the bathroom.

Lance gave him a cocky little smirk. “Like what you see?”

“Nope,” said Keith.

Lance’s face fell as he registered Keith’s response.

Keith walked over and kissed Lance before Lance's confusion could develop into self-doubt. “I love it.”

“You tease,” said Lance, kissing him with just a little teeth.

God, Keith loved this man. Keith returned the slight sharpness for a moment, then went softer as he deepened the kiss, and as they stood there kissing, Lance’s hands wandered and Keith made good use of his tongue.

Unfortunately for Keith, they eventually had to break it off to breathe.

Lance chuckled. “If you keep kissing me like that, we’re going to be late.”

Keith smirked. “Maybe that’s the idea.”

“As tempting as that idea is, it’ll piss off all our friends.”

“I don’t care.”

“You’ll care if Hunk or Pidge cries, or if Shiro gives you his disappointed look.”

“Dammit I will,” said Keith with a sigh.

“Come on, we wanted this. We’re gonna have fun and a lot of cool people will be there. And hey, if we aren’t having fun, or get too anxious, we’ll bail.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

They walked hand in hand to the garage. Keith usually liked to drive, but Lance drove this time, seeing as Keith was a bundle of nerves.

They ended up at the club a little too soon for Keith’s taste.

“You sure we can’t play hooky?”

“We’re already here, Starlight,” said Lance. “Come on, trust me, it’ll be fun.”

“Alright Sunshine, I’ll trust you,” said Keith, and they got out of the car.

They walked up to the club, but Lance stopped Keith before they went in. “Hey, if it gets to be too much for you, just let me know and we’ll blow this popsicle stand, no matter how many people that are more famous than us are here. I’m on your side.”

“I know, that's why I’m here with you,” said Keith.

With that assurance, they walked into the club.

A lot of people were already there, despite Keith and Lance only being a few minutes late to the party. Everyone in the immediate area of the entrance toasted them cheerfully as soon as the couple walked in. A light show was going, love songs were blaring over the speakers, people were crowded around the bar and on the dance floor.

As they waded further into the club, a bunch of their friends and siblings made a beeline for them, having already heard through the throng of people that Lance and Keith had just walked in.

“Looks like the lovebirds are finally here!” said Veronica.

“You don’t have to say it like that,” said Lance.

“Come on, loosen up, have fun! Let’s get you both drinks!” said Pidge.

“I could use a drink,” Keith agreed.

“That’s the spirit,” said Matt, who proceeded to giggle at his own pun.

Matt and Pidge went off to the bar in search of drinks, while Veronica and Hunk led them up to the upper decks where the VIP lounges were at, and sat them down in front of Shiro, Curtis, and Kuro. Hunk, Allura, Romelle, and Bandor were nearby. Their other friends were scattered about the lounge.

The three raised their glasses at them as Lance and Keith approached and sat down. “It’s the men of the hour!”

“Hey guys,” said Lance.

“Enjoying yourselves?” Keith asked.

“Immensely,” said Kuro. “We gonna do something like this for your bachelor party?”

Shiro sniffled. Upon further examination, his eyes were shiny. “I’m just really happy for you guys.”

“Shiro’s had a little much,” said Curtis amusedly. “He’s very emotional about all this.”

“They’re getting married, Curt! It’s an emotional thing!” Shiro protested. “Hunk, you get it, right?”

“Oh yeah, I’m right there with you buddy,” said Hunk. “It’s like just yesterday we were standing on that stage-”

“I know, right!” said Shiro.

“I think they started the party a little early,” Lance whispered to Keith.

Keith nodded, watching their friends. Yeah, they’d definitely been hitting the bar.

Matt and Pidge returned with drinks, sliding something in front of everyone.

Matt then raised his own drink. “A toast! To Lance and Keith, two insane idiots who are also insanely beautiful and absolutely meant for each other. Lance was crazy enough to propose during a concert, and Keith was crazy enough to accept, and there’s just something very beautiful about that, okay? These guys are like so in love and it’s just really sweet and they’re tying the knot and that’s awesome, so to Keith and Lance!”

“To us!” said Keith and Lance, while everyone else said some variation of their names, and they clinked their glasses together and drank.

Then they all teased Matt about calling Keith and Lance crazy when he was one of the first to get married among their friends, and it devolved into the sort of nonsense that binds friendships together.

Keith and Lance eventually got up to get another drink, but Lance had other ideas.

“Dance with me,” said Lance, pulling Keith onto the dancefloor.

Keith lost himself in the motions and the music and in Lance’s smile as they danced. Even in the midst of their guests, there was a sense of privacy, as if they were in a world all their own. They talked and flirted, and Lance sang song lyrics in Keith’s ear.

An hour went by like this until they admitted to themselves that they needed a drink and headed to the bar. They greeted people as they went by, but they had a mission.

Veronica approached them at the bar as they waited on their drinks. “Are you guys going to dance all night? You aren’t even socializing.”

“We can do what we want, it is our party,” Keith pointed out.

“That’s not the point though,” said Veronica.

“Vero, we’re at a club, it’s not like this is a house party, besides, everyone seems to be having a good time,” said Lance.

Veronica huffed, but Keith pulled Lance back to the dancefloor after they got their drinks, and Lance was definitely not going to argue, not when Keith actually initiated dancing for once - Keith didn’t think dancing was near as fun as Lance did, after all.

After another hour of dancing, they decided to wander the party. A lot of their family and friends and people they knew in the music community were there, and Lance and Keith made sure people knew they were grateful that they came out.

One of the people they ran into was Ryan Kinkade. “Hey, guys!”

“Hey, Kinkade!” said Keith.

“Having fun?” asked Lance.

“Oh yeah,” said Kinkade. “I’ve been taking a lot of pictures, they’re all over my Instagram if you want to find them later. I’ve got this lens attachment for my phone that’s supposed to be great for taking pictures in the dark that I’m trying out. You mind if I take a few snaps of the couple of honor?”

“Of course not,” said Keith.

“Anything for our favorite photographer,” said Lance, having waited for Keith’s approval before agreeing.

Kinkade took a few photos and some selfies with the two of them, some badass, some romantic, and some silly.

Of course, once one person got pictures, everyone wanted Pictures. Keith and Lance had to endure several minutes of various people’s flashing cameras before they could finally escape off to the bar and then to their friends in the lounge.

“Doing the rounds?” Allura asked.

“Unfortunately,” said Lance.

“Yes, that kind of thing can get rather tiring,” said Allura sympathetically.

“I’d honestly say fuck ’em,” said Kuro. 

Keith and Lance hung out with their friends for a while, but people were less willing to leave them alone this time around, wanting photographs, autographs, to request being added to the wedding guest list or answers on when they’d be getting their invitations, wedding information, and all sort of attention that wasn’t joining the conversations Lance and Keith were already having with their friends.

Lance could tell Keith was starting to get worn out after a few hours, but every time Lance was about to suggest to his love that they go, one of their friends or an influencer showed up to get their attention.

Still, Keith was feeling the strain. Big parties like this weren’t typically his thing, especially not ones like this where he was already anxious about it before they’d even arrived. He wasn’t a huge fan of talking to strangers, and the music was loud and the lights were bright and there was just so much to focus on.

Everything was just way too much.

Keith hardly recognized it was all amping up within him. Everything was just so very present. Everything was distracting, he couldn’t focus. It was so loud he felt like he couldn’t hear Lance or anyone very well.

“Can you just let us be so we can actually enjoy this?” Lance asked.

“Hey, you wanted this party,” said Veronica.

Something in Keith snapped. “I don’t fucking care!” 

Lance wasn’t exactly surprised this has happened, having suspected something like this to happen. “It’s too much, isn’t it? What do you need?” he asked Keith.

“Out. Away. I don’t know,” said Keith, breaking too much to be clear.

Lance nodded. “Let’s get you away.”

Keith couldn’t speak. His body didn’t want to move, either. Lance seemed to understand, though, and coaxed him towards the back of the club. People tried to stop them, but whatever Lance did or said seemed to do the trick, as they kept moving. Keith wasn’t honestly paying attention, too busy panicking.

Next thing Keith knew, cold air hit his face and they were suddenly outside.

“We’re out in the fresh air, there’s no one out here but us, you’re safe,” Lance was saying, calm but worried.

“Lance-”

“Come on, breathe with me. Same exercise as always. In through your nose, out through your mouth. 1, 2, 3, 4, hold for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, out for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Good, good, let’s do it again-”

Keith slowly came back to himself as he followed along with Lance’s coming. Sensation was creeping back, and with every breath, he started fighting off the panic that had risen.

And then Lance’s phone started ringing.

Keith flinched, and before he could even find the words to tell him, Lance grabbed his phone and hung up without even looking at it.

“Just focus on me, babe. Come on. Count with me, even if it’s just in your head. 1, 2, 3-”

Keith followed Lance’s instructions as he tried to calm down. Eventually, he began to ease. He still wasn’t feeling great, but Lance was here, Lance was helping him, Lance understood.

Lance’s phone started ringing again.

“Shouldn’t you answer that?” Keith asked.

“Not until you’re breathing okay, I shouldn’t,” said Lance. “Don’t let it distract you. Come on, breathe with me.”

Keith nodded stiffly and tried to focus on his breathing. Eventually, he was able to calm his breathing enough to press his forehead to Lance's, and they just breathed together, Keith matching his pace to Lance’s.

And then Lance’s phone rang again.

“You should probably answer that before they send out a search party,” said Keith.

Lance rolled his eyes, but picked up the phone and answered it. “Lance McClain.”

They could both hear Veronica whisper yelling. “Where the hell are you? You can’t just walk out of your own engagement party. Especially when you insisted on it.”

“We can if Keith’s overwhelmed and experiencing sensory overload!” Lance snapped. “Cool your heels! Fuck the party, my first priority’s taking care of my baby, as it should be.”

“Lance, look, I’m sorry-”

“We’re going to go for a drive or head home or something until Keith’s calmed down and feeling better. Maybe after that, we’ll come back. I’m sure the precious party won’t fall apart without us,” said Lance, interrupting Veronica and hanging up on her.

“You’re going to feel bad about that later.”

“No, I won’t,” said Lance resolutely. “You’re more important. You’ll always be more important.”

“You’re the best thing in my life, Sunshine,” said Keith.

"You're the best part of my life, too, Starlight," said Lance.

They walked out to the car in silence, Lance holding Keith’s hands, the two of them breathing together. They ended up leaning on the hood of the car, hands still intertwined.

Lance broke the silence. “I know what we can do.”

“What?”

“Okay Keith, hear me out.”

“I’m listening.”

“There’s this chapel on the Boulevard we can go to. You remember when Acxa and Veronica got married the night before their wedding? Same place. It’s still there.”

“Your point?”

“Look, we’re going to have that wedding in May. We already made plans with Abuelito and Abuelita, and let’s face it, that wedding is really more important to everyone else. And that’s my fault, really, if I hadn’t proposed so publicly, there wouldn’t have been such an emphasis on the wedding and we could have had a quiet wedding and then the media could’ve talked about it when they found out after we were already married. But I wanted to do something special for you and I didn’t think of the consequences.”

“I loved the proposal, Sunshine.”

“I know, Starlight. I did too. For that, I can’t regret it, but it has put us where we are now. But I’ve just realized: just because the May wedding is for everyone else doesn’t mean it has to be our wedding.”

“I’m not following.”

“Marry me, Keith. Right now. Let’s get married tonight, have the wedding we want - no pressure, let it be about us and our love. We’ll have the other wedding later, celebrate with all our family and friends, let them think we get married that day in May on the beach - but we actually get married tonight, we become husbands tonight. Once we’re married, that other wedding, it’ll just be a party, just a spectacle, and we won’t feel so pressured to make sure it’s perfect in the ways that we want it and the ways that everyone else wants it. We’ll already be married - you’ll be mine and I’ll be yours. What do you think?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more in love with you than right now.”

Lance leaned in and kissed him. This kiss between Lance and Keith easily ranked in their Top Ten Best Kisses of their relationship (not that anyone had actually ranked them).

Keith grinned up at Lance when they reluctantly pulled apart. “I think I’m ready for you to be my ex-fiancé. Will you marry me tonight, Lance?”

Lance grinned back at him. “Let’s do it!”

They got in the car and zipped through the city. Lance drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand holding Keith’s. Keith turned the volume up high on the radio. One of the Paladins’ love songs came on the radio and Lance serenaded Keith right along with himself, almost like he was doing Car Radio Karaoke with James Corden.

Soon, they were at the chapel, but Lance parked in a different parking lot that the chapel’s parking lot and hid the car by some trees so people didn’t suspect they were there.

Lance and Keith got out of the car and walked hand in hand over to the chapel.

“Saint Valentine’s? Really?”

“Yeah, it’s a little cheesy, but it’s on point, he did secretly marry people after all.”

“If you say so,” said Keith.

They walked into the building, but they weren’t immediately in the chapel. Instead, they found themselves in a small, quiet lobby in front of a few offices, just occupied by a secretary.

The secretary smiled at them. “Hi, what can we do for you young men tonight?”

Lance leaned on the secretary’s desk. “Hi, my soulmate and I would like to get married tonight. Is there anyone around that can help us make that happen?”

“One of the chaplains is still here tonight, why don’t you come with me to his office?”

Keith and Lance followed the secretary to the office on the far right.

“Sir, these young men want to get married,” said the secretary when they entered the office.

“Leave them with me, I’ll take care of it,” said the chaplain. The secretary nodded and walked away, and the chaplain gestured at the chairs in front of his desk. “Good evening, why don’t you have a seat?”

“Thank you,” Keith said, and they each took a seat in the chairs in front of the chaplain’s desk.

“What brings you both here so late tonight?”

“My name is Lance McClain, this is the love of my life, Keith Kogane. We’d like to get married tonight.”

“If you aren’t closed or something like that,” said Keith.

“No, we aren’t closed. First and foremost, we are a chapel. We are here to serve people who need us. Now, would you mind showing me some forms of ID?”

Keith and Lance passed over their IDs. He looked at the IDs, and then back at them. He gave them back their IDs, and tested them to make sure they were sober and of sound mind and thus able to consent to the marriage.

“You seem genuine. Now, why do you want to get married tonight, now of all times?”

Lance explained the situation briefly - who they were, what pressures they were under, and the events that led them to come to the chapel tonight.

The chaplain smiled and nodded, “First we’re going to have you work on all the legal paperwork, and then we’re going to get you married, alright?”

"Alright," said Lance.

The clerk passed Keith and Lance some pens and the documents they needed to read through and sign.

They spent a few minutes going through the documents. When they were finished, they passed the documents back over to the chaplain.

The chaplain looked them over. “This looks to be in order. Are you ready?”

"Born ready," said Lance.

"Let's do this," said Keith.

"Right this way into the chapel," he said, opening a door at the back of the office and holding it open for them.

Keith took Lance's hand and they walked through together.

The chapel was gorgeous. There were colorful stained glass windows on the back wall that Keith and Lance could imagine glimmering in sunlight. There were exquisite carvings and paintings throughout the room, even the ceiling. Wooden pews with plush seats were lined up in two simple columns with an aisle in between that they followed the chaplain down, still hand in hand.

Keith was anxious, but he was also excited. Every step they made further down the aisle only strengthened his resolve. He was ready to be married to Lance tonight. He hadn’t been planning on marrying Lance when he woke up this morning, but right now he needed it, and every moment longer just made that pull to get married even stronger.

At the end of the aisle, the chaplain had Keith and Lance stop in front of the podium and situated himself behind it. The chaplain smiled at the couple and at the few other people in the room.

“We are gathered here today to join these two individuals together in marriage. Keith Kogane and Lance McClain may be public figures, but that hasn’t stopped them from remaining faithful and loyal to their relationship, and they have striven to give their love the importance and emphasis in their lives it deserves.”

The chaplain looked at Lance. “Lance Charles McClain, do you take Keith Yorak Kogane, for your lawfully wedded husband to love and cherish from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health?”

“I do,” said Lance warmly, never looking away from Keith.

The chaplain turned to Keith. “Keith Yorak Kogane, do you take Lance Charles McClain, for your lawfully wedded husband to love and cherish from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health?”

“I do,” said Keith, violet eyes latched on to cerulean blue eyes.

“With that said, let’s move on to the vows. Would you like to use your own vows?”

“Yes,” said Lance.

“I haven’t come up with my vows yet,” said Keith.

“How about we say today what we don’t want random people to hear, and then when the show wedding happens, we say the things that we’re okay with everybody there hearing?” Lance suggested.  
“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” said Keith.

“You know what, I’ll go first,” said Lance. 

“Works for me.”

Lance cleared his throat. “Keith. I’ve never told you this before, but the moment I first saw you, I thought you were beautiful. But I didn’t know I was bi yet, so I didn’t know how to deal with that knowledge. So I started that dumb rivalry. And when we became friends and the rivalry stopped, I dated a bunch of people because I thought that would make me get over you. Obviously, that didn’t work out. I’m glad how things ended up happening, so part of me would never change a thing, but part of me wishes I’d come to my senses earlier so we could have had more time. All that said, I wouldn’t want anything that doesn’t lead us right here, to this moment. God, you look so beautiful. I know that I tell you so all the time, but I mean it all the time. And not just your body, either - I happen to think your mind, heart, and soul are just as gorgeous. I remember, one of the first times you told me the story behind a scar, I could hardly believe it - not because I thought you were lying, but because I couldn’t understand how anyone could fail that badly to love you. I cannot even imagine a timeline where I do not love you so fully that it is a fact of the universe, seared into my bones. Keith, it is an honor and a privilege to marry you, and so I promise you to always remember that. I promise to always do the best thing for you and for the both of us, no matter who disapproves or doesn’t understand. I promise to put you and our relationship first, before our careers and families and anything else, except if we ever have children, because in that case, the children will come first. I promise to never stop loving you, even when you need space or we have a disagreement. I promise to protect you when you need or want protecting, I promise to help you when you need assistance, I promise to support you in everything that we do, I promise to ensure that no matter where we are or what we’re doing that you are safe, sheltered, warm, fed and happy. I promise to listen to you and let you know that you feel heard and appreciated, even if I don’t understand or we don’t agree. I promise to be open and honest and loyal and trustworthy and faithful. I promise you everything I have and everything that I am.”

Tears slid down Keith’s face and he sniffled. “I love you, Lance.”

Lance wiped his thumb across Keith’s tear-stained cheeks. “I love you, Keith.”

“It’s your turn, Keith.”

Keith swallowed. “Lance. We’ve rarely been our firsts for anything. But you were my first crush. I had a crush on you from the moment that we met, even if we were so young. But then I thought that even if you could love me, I would never deserve you. Even when we became friends, I didn’t think my love would ever be returned. But you surprised me. Lance, you taught me how to love again, you taught me how to love myself. And I know that’s not easy for you either, no matter how strong and confident you try to portray yourself as. Just know that you don’t always have to be strong around me. We’re in this together, and I’m here for you just as much as you are here for me. This is a partnership and a love of equals. This is the best thing I’ve ever had. This is the stuff of fairytales. I mean, this right here, getting married tonight, is Romeo and Juliet done right, Romeo and Juliet done real. People don’t get movie romances, but we were lucky enough to - I was lucky enough to land you. Lance, I will still probably never be able to deserve you, but I will work every day in order to try to anyways. Lance, no one has ever loved me the way that you have, and none of my previous relationships ever made me feel as safe and satisfied as you do. You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I promise to always remember that. I promise to always know how lucky I am to have you. I promise that except for our potential children, you and our relationship will always come first, and you will always be what I love most. I promise to always appreciate everything you do for me, even if I don’t always agree with it. I promise to support and encourage you through good times and bad, I promise to always believe in you and our relationship and do the best for it no matter the consequences, I promise to guard you, watch your back and keep you safe in my arms, I promise to drive away your insecurities and ensure you want for nothing. I promise to make it clear just how much I love you and make sure you never doubt the lengths I would go for you or the love I have for you. I promise to take care of you just as much as you take care of me. I promise you everything that I have and everything that I am.”

Lance smiled tearfully as Keith repeated Lance's own last vow.

“Beautiful, both of you. Do you have rings?”

“As a matter of fact, I do,” said Lance, pulling out the box with the wedding bands they had just received at Christmas. “I guess everybody’s insistence has done one good thing for us,” Lance said, looking at Keith.

“Yeah, lucky you had those on you,” said Keith.

“Alright, Lance, when you’re ready, you can put the ring on Keith’s finger and say, ‘With this ring, I thee wed’, and then you’ll say the same thing when you put Lance’s ring on his finger, Keith.”

Lance put his own ring in Keith’s right palm, and then he took Keith’s ring and slid it gently onto Keith’s left ring finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” said Lance, soft and serious.

“Keith?”

Keith took the ring he was given and carefully slid it onto Lance’s left ring finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” said Keith in that same sacred tone Lance was using.

Lance and Keith never let go of each other’s hands as the officiator smiled at them. “Well, I see nor hear any objections here. By the power invested in me, I declare you husbands. You may kiss.”

No one was sure who moved first or who pulled who in, but Keith and Lance’s lips met for a glorious moment that neither of them wanted to ever end. Maybe it was just the moment, but this kiss, their first kiss as husbands, blew every other kiss Lance and Keith had ever shared right out of the water.

As they pulled apart, both of them had tears in their eyes, overwhelmed by what had just happened.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Congratulations, boys. Now how about we get everything wrapped up so you can go and enjoy your night?” said the officiator.

Lance and Keith agreed and they couldn’t keep their eyes (or hands) off each other as they were led over excitedly to the counter. It was time to sign the marriage certificate.

As they signed, Lance looked at Keith and smiled. “I can’t believe I get to call you Mr. Kogane-McClain, even if it’s only in my mind.”

Keith smiled back. “Mr. McClain.”

“What?”

“As far as the general public will be concerned, I hyphenated. But I’m actually taking your name,” said Keith.

“You are a gift I will never be worthy of,” said Lance reverently.

“Now, that's just not true,” said Keith. “I’m the one that’s not worthy of you.”

“Let’s just agree that we’re happy to be married and neither of us has to prove our worth to each other,” said Lance.

“Sounds perfect,” said Keith.

They finished signing the documents, and that was it, they were married. Filled with a sudden exuberance, Lance picked up Keith and spun in a circle, leaving them both laughing out of sheer joy and ecstasy.

Finally, they turned back to the officiator.

Keith was grinning. “Thank you for doing this for us.”

“Yeah, thank you so much, especially on such short notice,” said Lance.

The officiator smiled at them. “Of course. This is the best part of my job.”

Lance kissed Keith’s temple. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

They left the chapel out the back door, so they wouldn’t be seen. They made their way to the car, trading small kisses semi-constantly. They eventually ended up leaning on the car and exchanging kisses until they finally pulled back for air.

“So, are you okay to go back to the party?” Lance asked, with an unconscious hint of reluctance in his voice.

“I am.” Then Keith gave Lance a small smile. “But I’d much rather go home and have our own private party.”

Lance looked at that hopeful little smile, clothes slightly ruffled from their adventure, ebony hair framing his face and falling into those glorious purple eyes that sparkled like galaxies, and wondered why he would ever want to go back to the party when he could just keep his husband(!) to himself for the rest of the night.

“I think that’s an amazing idea,” said Lance.

They got back into Lance’s car and drove back to their penthouse. The elevator ride up to their floor was the slowest it had ever been since they moved in. They took care of Red and Blue, turned off their phones, locked their front door and shut the blinds on their windows, and suddenly there was nothing in the universe but Keith and Lance and the way their lips met and the way their hearts beat at the same tempo and the way their bodies fit together so perfectly.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
Sorry for how late this is, hopefully the fact that it’s twice or thrice as long makes up for it! This was originally supposed to just be about the engagement party, they weren’t supposed to elope, but then Keith reminded me that he's not an over-the-top person who loves huge parties, and Lance reminded me that there had to be some equality in this relationship, Keith can’t just go along with the huge wedding just for Lance, and then Lance and Keith reminded me that they were celebrities and so this could never be simple, so I had to revise the storyline. Also, unlike the first two, I didn’t write this in one sitting, but in pieces, so of course I got distracted often and then I had a hard time connecting all the pieces together. 
> 
> “I want to take my time with him.” is honestly in my opinion one of the most romantic things Lance (or anyone) has said in this entire AU, and I really wanted to be able to give them that time, but the plot holes said no.
> 
> Their friends don’t find out about the elopement until a year later when they celebrate their anniversary on December 27th instead of the date of the other wedding. Veronica and Lance have a big blowout over it because Veronica is upset Lance didn’t tell her or take her along when Keith and Lance were Acxa and Veronica’s witnesses, but Lance doesn’t regret it because Veronica was one of the people giving Keith and Lance a hard time about the wedding, so they end up not talking outside of pretenses on social media for 6 months. It was also a bit tense between Keith and Lance and the rest of the Paladins for a little while, but they got over it.
> 
> Also, If you’re interested in knowing what the bands’ music is like in this AU, check out the series notes, I did an update all about it
> 
> Additional Tangled Up In You/Last Ex-Boyfriend AU headcanons:  
-Sven Holgersson is a half Norwegian Shirogane cousin who is a solo musician and actor and who’s father and manager is Slav and Shiro can’t stand Slav  
-N-7 is a popular solo techno/dubstep artist named Neva Dashiell-Holt who Matt married and they have a kid together, Charles Holt who usually goes by Charlie or Chip. When he grows up/older, his stage name is CH1P and his music is a lot like his mom’s but with some instrument/voice skills from his dad. Pidge adores and spoils her nephew.  
-Sven and Romelle being a couple is a reference/tribute to the 80’s TV show  
-A long time ago, when they were still new, Pidge had a crush on Beezer from Renegades, but after a disastrous first date and later an awkward triple date she went on (Keith and Rolo, Lance and Nyma, Pidge and Beezer), they just decided they were better off friends.  
-Nyma is one of Lance’s several exes, the first of Lance’s relationships as a member of the Paladins. Hunk disapproved of the relationship from the beginning. Lance and Nyma introduced Rolo and Keith, and Rolo and Keith were together for a couple of months but just never really had that connection and mutually ended it. Lance and Nyma were together longer, maybe a year, they had fun but it quickly became toxic. Hunk and Keith ended up intervening and they saved Lance and helped him end things after Lance got handcuffed to a tree after Nyma stole his car and Keith had to go rescue Lance. Lance and Nyma (and by extension, the rest of both of the bands’ members) are on friendly terms now, but they aren’t close. Rolo and Nyma ended up falling in love and getting married and invited The Paladins to the wedding.  
-In MFE, Veronica and Ryan are the only ones who celebrate Christmas, as they’re the only ones who are Christian. James is Jewish, and celebrates Hanukkah. Ina is an atheist and doesn’t celebrate any religious holidays, but will go to parties if her loved ones invite her. Nadia is Muslim, so she doesn’t really have any holidays to celebrate in December, but feels like it’s rude to turn down any invitations, like Ina.  
-Paladins and holidays: everyone celebrates Christmas as a secular holiday, but Lance and Hunk are the only ones who’s actually Christian. Along with my headcanons for the Holts all the time, Sam’s German Jewish and Colleen’s Irish Catholic, so the Holts have always celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah, and Matt and Pidge try to adhere to both, they’re pretty agnostic though. Keith’s an atheist, he just can’t believe there’s a loving god that put him through everything he went through and puts other people through worse. Shiro and Kuro are either Buddhist or Shinto, they just started celebrating when their friends invited them to things and really put emphasis on it when Shiro started dating Adam and they took in Keith. Curtis is also Christian, and like Mr. and Mrs. Holt, Curtis and Shiro have an interfaith relationship. Actually, Allura's Christian too, but barely, the Alteans put a lot more emphasis on the Altean holidays (maybe they have a religion based around Altean alchemy and the idea of quintessence?)


End file.
